Staff inductions: Best Practice Guide

In order to meet our energy targets as a University, it is important for new staff members to be aware of the University’s commitment to sustainability, and to motivate them to contribute in any way they can.

A really helpful tool to achieve this is by targeting the inductions of new staff. The University has a high turnover of staff (although it varies greatly from department to department), and as a result inductions are an effective way of establishing a message and an attitude that can spread quickly through the department. Introducing new staff to the environmental and energy goals of the University, and motivating them to take part, should be a key objective of all departments.

How can you help to embed positive environment and energy behaviours through staff inductions?

1)Organise a coffee meet with every new member of staff

This approach has the advantage of being personal and relaxed; with the sheer volume of induction information new staff are hit with, there are merits to not following a rigid induction list, but simply having a conversation about the sustainability commitments of your department. This is a highly sociable way of introducing new staff to the department’s sustainability practices, and helps confirm to new staff that other members of the department are able to behave in an environmentally-conscious way; this opens the door to them following suit. Depending on the staff turnover of your department, however, this method can be time consuming.

2)Obtain a slot in your departmental induction presentation / meeting

The benefit of this approach is that you can get your message across to more people than by having one-to-one inductions with all new members of staff, but on the other hand new members of the department are less likely to feel personally engaged by the sustainability initiatives being discussed. Try to keep the groups small enough to ensure members feel they are being addressed personally. The Environment and Energy Section are happy to help with, or give, induction presentations.

3)Produce hand-outs for all new staff

Induction hand-outs can be a useful way of reaching the maximum possible number of people and giving them the information they need, there and easily accessible. It is recommended to use hand-outs in association with other induction mechanisms.

Any of these resources should focus on sustainability issues at the department. Here are some of the recommended points to weave into the induction material.

  • Does the department have a Green Impact team? Who is on it?
  • How your department is reducing its environmental footprint
  • reducing energy usage – turn off equipment when not in use
  • Draw attention towhat environmentally-friendly practices you implement at your department
  • mixed recycling scheme
  • bin colour coding
  • lighting policy
  • heating / cooling policy
  • Encourage new members to visit the Environment and Energy Section’s website:
  • Ask new members to consider joining the Green Impact team, if relevant.

Sustainability at the University is an issue of high importance. Here are some of the key facts surrounding sustainability at the University which could be shared with new members of the department.

General facts

  • The University has a carbon reduction target of 34% from a 2005 baseline by 2020.
  • The University emits 77,000 tonnes of carbon per year, equivalent to 10% the domestic use of the City of Cambridge.
  • Every year the University commits £2million to its Energy and Carbon Reduction Project (ECRP). For more information see the E&E Section’s website:

Energy

  • The University’s energy bill is an astonishing £16 million per year.
  • At one of the ECRP pilot departments, the Gurdon Institute, addressing some of the wasteful behaviours of members of the department led to a 19.5% decrease in electricity usage – the behaviours of members of the department can make a huge difference to the University’s emissions!

Waste

  • All departments have a mixed dry recycling scheme. This means recycling does not have to be sorted when disposed of. Nearly everything can be recycled – the rare exceptions are polystyrene, food waste, drinking glasses and wooden stirrers. For full information:
  • TheUniversity currently recycles around 43% of its total waste.

Water

  • The University has managed to reduce water usage by 63% in the last 20 years, despite a growth of 42% by area. The University’s target is to maintain water consumption per square meter of the estate constant in the face of the estate’s expansion and an increase in academic activity.

Transport

  • The University encourages moving away from single-occupancy car use by subsidising train season tickets and the fare for the Uni 4 bus service.
  • For full information:

Example from Estate Management

Environmental matters – Induction

Welcome to Estate Management, from the Environment & Energy Section!

The Environment and Energy Section is responsible for reducing the environmental impact of the University. This includes promoting energy efficiency, water saving initiatives, and good waste management (including avoiding unnecessary purchases, reducing how much you need to throw away, and recycling).

The University has a commitment to reduce its carbon emissions by 34% by 2020, from the amount it was using in 2005/6. To do this, we are investing heavily in energy-saving initiatives and we’re trialling new technology but we also need our people on board with working together to help.

All staff have a responsibility to consider the wider environment during their working day, both in the office and on site if your role is operational, project management, or in Maintenance. How can you help to reduce the environmental impact of your job, office, and EM as a whole? How can you save money on your commute?

We challenge you to switch on to the Cambridge Green Challenge.

Energy

If you leave your desk for more than a few minutes, switch off your computer monitor. (Lock your computer if necessary).

Turn off your computer fully overnight, or if you’re out of the office for hours at a time. Really off, not onto standby.

If there is a printer, photocopier, or other office equipment in your room, check whether the last person to leave is responsible for switching it off at the end of the working day or whether there is a nominated person.

Switch off the main lights in the office whenever task lighting, such as desk lamps, is ok – or whenever daylight is bright enough.

Dress for the seasons! Don’t expect your office to be a sauna in the winter and an ice box in the summer. If you think the heating/cooling is over the top, look into what you can do yourself with radiators and only then contact the E&E team with any questions (email: ).

Recycling and resource management

The University has a ‘mixed dry recycling’ scheme across all departments, including EM. This means that almost everything in offices can be recycled, and goes into the same bin with clear bin bags. Only wood, polystyrene, food (including tea bags), and reinforced glass needs to go to landfill in the black bin bags. In common areas, the same rules apply.

Have a look at our recycling poster for details, and please contact the E&E team with any questions (email: ).

EM provides reusable mugs and cups for visitors at meetings – please take your own and help us cut down on throw-away cups. Meeting organisers are responsible for washing-up, tidying up, and returning the Green Impact mugs after their meetings.

Do you really need new folders or a brand new stapler, or could you rehome good quality used ones from elsewhere? Talk to your team administrator to see what may be in a storage cupboard waiting for you to give it a new purpose.

If your office has any dead batteries, toner cartridges or electrical items (including personal phones and chargers), these are recycled in-house. Please contact the E&E team for details (email: ).

If you work at Laundry Farm, check that you know what the various skips are for and where the correct collection points are for waste electrical equipment, fluorescent tubes, metal, wood, and hazardous materials such as paint.

If you are a project manager, for example in Estate Development, talk to the E&E team if you have any questions about site waste management plans or improving recycling rates from your projects.

Travel

Did you know that you can save hundreds of pounds a year through several measures that the University’s Travel Plan has in place? Have you ever considered the following, or do you already, cycle to work; car-share; walk to work; use trains or buses; or use the Park & Ride buses around the City? Could you walk or cycle part way to work? For example there is a Park & Cycle facility off Madingley Road, with bike lockers and security.

There are a series of leaflets on travelling to and from work under ‘Leaflets’ on

When travelling during the day, you can use your University Card for a £1 single on the Uni4 bus (West Cambridge to Addenbrooke’s, via Silver Street and Trumpington Road). There are pool bikes to use – it only takes around 15 minutes to cycle from West Cambridge to Trumpington Street along the CotonFootpath. There are also power-assisted bikes for anyone in EM to borrow, helping you get to meetings more quickly and easily. You can book these easily using Micad.

Water

All staff are encouraged to try and save water whenever possible.

Try to make effective use of the dishwashers, only running them when they are full. They have the best energy efficiency so are more efficient than washing up by hand.

If you use a kettle – overfilling kettles takes longer, uses more energy, and wastes water as people often prefer fresh water anyway.

If you see a dripping tap, report it to GHOST () at Greenwich House, or to the Maintenance Helpdesk at Laundry Farm (ext. 37784).

Check out the Greenwich House website for up to date information on environmental activities going on: